It’s no secret that our lives are in constant flux and unavoidably full of challenges. And if you’re like a lot of women, you’ve been dedicating yourself to the never-ending task of juggling it all while trying to keep your health and hormones in check. These concerns can often leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, with very little time or energy left for creating a restorative routine that’ll help manage stress better. But here’s something I want you to remember: taking back control starts with tiny steps! So if rebuilding your restorative routine is on top of your “to-do” list, then this blog post will be well worth the read. Its easy-to-follow strategies & helpful tips are just the thing needed to finally start enjoying more quality sleep without grinding yourself down.
Sleep, the Healer
Did you know most of us are in the same boat, figuratively speaking? That’s right—when it comes to insomnia, up to half of adults can relate. In other words, if you put five people together, regardless of their backgrounds or life stories, chances are three out of those five have had difficulty with restful nights at one point! This is a striking statistic that speaks loudly about how common (and manageable) this problem truly is.
The struggle with sleep is real, especially for those dealing with the hormonal fluctuations that happen between perimenopause and menopause. Turning 50 can bring along some unexpected surprises. For many women, it’s a night of tossing and turning that just wasn’t there before.
Do night sweats and increased urination sound familiar? And then once you get up, the busy brain gets triggered, and it can take a long time to shut off again.
Sleep is affected by many things, including hormones, stress, anxiety, and a sedentary lifestyle. Once the sleep cycle is disrupted, it could take a lot of focused work to set it right again. For many women, getting a good night’s sleep can feel close to impossible.
Quality sleep plays a critical role in our overall health and well-being, especially when it comes to healing. Without restful nights, women can find themselves feeling exhausted with little extra energy reserves for recovery—something that’s vitally important as they tackle their daily lives.
Restoration in Sleep
Many restorative and regenerative processes happen during sleep. These include repairing cellular damage, assisting with detoxification pathways, and resetting the nervous system. If you’re having difficulty getting restful beauty sleep, don’t fret! I’ve got four simple tips to help you create a peaceful and efficient sleeping routine for yourself.
Turn down the lights
A good night’s sleep is all about working with your circadian rhythm, not against it. We are programmed to rise with the sun and set with the sun. Early mornings are often a time of increased stress due to the natural cortisol spike. This spiked wave can be thought of like an elevation on a ski slope: it rises quickly and then slowly tapers off towards late afternoon for that welcome feeling of relaxation as you come down from your peak.
Then melatonin starts to climb. Melatonin helps calm our system as the sun sets and the day winds down.
Light is one of the biggest triggers for both of these ships. Aim for bright light in the morning and then dim light in the evening. I recommend turning off all screens one hour before bed to eliminate blue light exposure, which blocks melatonin production.
Check out your sleep space
Where you sleep is a big factor in how you sleep. Take an assessment and ask yourself if your sleep space is optimized for good sleep.
- 1. Do you fall asleep on the couch instead of in your bed?
- Do you fall asleep in bed with the TV on?
- Do you have a TV in your bedroom?
- Do you have lights in your bedroom that can be dimmed so you can turn them down?
Too much blue light can be disruptive, so I recommend having a dedicated device-free zone in the bedroom. Your sleep and overall well-being will thank you. Many people sleep more deeply with white noise in the background, and some really light sleepers prefer earplugs and eye masks on.
Generally, a bedroom should be the center stage for two things: sleeping and sex, avoiding anything external that disrupts the quietness of the room.
Beverages before bed
Be aware of the quantity and quality of what you’re drinking. If a good night’s sleep is what you’re after, your caffeine consumption should end by 12 noon on the same day. This way, no matter how tempting that cup of coffee seems in the evening hours, all beverages will be off-limits past 8:00 p.m.
Alcohol has a way of disrupting sleep between the hours of 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM. It contributes to more hot flashes, symptoms of dehydration, and nighttime waking. Take the edge off after a long day with some soothing bedtime tea. Not only will it help ease your body and mind, but be prepared for more frequent trips to the restroom. I recommend just brewing yourself half a cup of the bedtime tea and making it super concentrated so you get the benefits of the tea without the fluid.
Build a routine for yourself.
Plan on powering down your life about one hour before your desired sleep time. Design a routine that covers all of your basic bedtime needs. Add some soothing elements that help you relax and signal to your body that it’s time to rest. Give yourself the gift of self-care. Take time to decompress and nurture your mental well-being by reading, journaling, and taking in a calming guided meditation, then ensure that you stick with your nighttime routine for optimal rest.
The goal, ideally, would be to be in bed by 11 p.m. Honestly, we all deserve to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for anything.
Sleep meds?
I recently spoke with a woman who had explored prescription medications to help her get quality sleep, yet she felt unsatisfied with the results. Despite all her time and effort trying various options, nothing seemed to bring the desired comfort, besides unwanted side effects. With that in mind, it’s critical to note that you don’t have to get caught in an endless cycle of harmful medications just to rest at night.
In fact, medications regularly fail people.
Natural medicine not only offers an alternative to prescription medications but also provides you with amazing side benefits for you and your body. There are no side effects.
So if you have built your sleep routine and are still having trouble with your sleep, I recommend getting your hormones tested and meeting with an alternative practitioner.
Salient Points
It’s no secret that the path to recovery is hard. Rest is an essential part of cleaning up the pieces to build a healed and healthier you. We hope this post has helped put you steps closer to rebuilding your routine in order to restore its substances. Not only that, but now that you know it’s necessary, reconnecting with your restorative routine will be easier and more natural than before.
You deserve your own healing time, so turn down the lights and wrap yourself up in coziness for undisturbed sleep every night; we promise you’ll thank us for it in the morning! As we mentioned earlier, it’s best to stay away from sleeping medications unless prescribed by a professional expert, so trust our advice! Pro Tip: Build your own personal healthy habits checklist—waking up at regular times during the weekend included—and stick to it! If you’d like some fast-track help in putting together a solid plan on restoring through sleep, go ahead and schedule a discovery call with us. Together, we can guide you into improving your restorative routine and get you there much faster! So hop onto a journey of rediscovering balance, and let’s embark together on this journey of eagerness towards healing!
Are you seeking a positive change to improve your overall wellbeing and finally get relief from sleep issues? We’re here for you! Schedule a Free Discovery Call today so we can discuss how our unique approach may help, no pressure.
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DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional
